Albert Whitted Airport Gets New Operator

Despite dozens of residents who spoke out in favor of local Albert Whitted Airport operator , city council voted 6-2 Thursday for Sheltair Aviation Services to take over operations of the downtown St. Petersburg airport. 

The vote came after the recommendation by city staff to go with Sheltair's services following a request for proposal process to run Albert Whitted Airport. Bay Air's lease expires in October.  

According to city documents, "The purpose of the RFP was to seek an Fixed Base Operator (FBO) who will be a collaborative partner with the city to grow the airport operation to reach its maximum potential."

Council chair Leslie Curran said the new operators could provide the marketing and experience necessary to expand and grow Albert Whitted. 

Curran said St. Petersburg always talks about being a possible transportation hub and now there are more opportunities moving forward. 

"With Sheltair, we may (be able) to see some of those opportunities come to fruition," Curran said.  

Sheltair is the operator of multiple airports across Florida and the U.S., including: Jacksonville International Airport, Savannah-Hilton Head International, LaGuardia International Airport and John F Kennedy International Airport. 

"I’ve always said this, Albert Whitted is the most underutilize facility and has been for years," said council member Bill Dudley. "I don’t see it being promoted."

According to Mayor Bill Foster and representatives from Sheltair, they have a history of keeping 100 percent of the employees at airports they take over. Albert Whitted, they said, would be no different.  

Council member Karl Nurse, along with Jeff Danner, was the strongly opposed to switching operators because he feared local pilots would see a significant increase in fuel costs under Sheltair. 

He read off various airport fuel costs in Florida, with most between $5-$6 a gallon, but a Sheltair operated airport — St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport — had gas at $8 a gallon. 

"My fear is that we have an airport of essentially prop planes," Nurse said. "This is the fuel they use. I think you need to judge people running an airport based upon what they’ve done. Sheltair was dramatically higher than anybody else and they were at $8. It seems to me reasonable to assume that's what you ought to expect.

"I know they are a big competent professional outfit," Nurse said of Sheltair, "but I don’t think we ought to do this to our community."